Mary waved the flaming snake sword in her hand, and fierce flames erupted, wrapping around the blade. She skillfully manipulated the fire, even using it to enhance her attacks by channeling the flames through her hair. This sword, imbued with the power of fire, was a perfect match for her abilities.
Without hesitation, she discarded her old weapon—compared to the Flame Snake Sword, it was nothing but trash.
"Thank you, husband!" she exclaimed, delighted with the new weapon. Both she and her sister couldn't wait to test their new powers.
"Sisters, it's time! Let's go take down those pirates!" they shouted enthusiastically, rallying the female warriors of the Nine Snakes Pirates, who cheered and followed eagerly. Even though the Yamato trio had taken some of the elites to the New World, the Nine Snakes Pirates remained the dominant force in Paradise.
"What else have you crafted?" Hancock asked Arias as she watched her sisters leave.
She had been by Arias' side, along with Salome, in the weapon refining room. After the weapons were completed, she had seen him working on some clothing, though she wasn't sure what kind of magical items they were.
"These are for the underground world," Arias replied, pulling out a piece from a capsule. "Ginny and Big Bear have completely taken over the warehousing industry after eliminating Gilbertson. They know that the key to gaining control over the underground world is through loyalty and fear."
Robin, meanwhile, was making rapid progress. Thanks to her intelligence and Solomon's recommendation, she was quietly gaining influence within Morgans' World Economic News Agency. Although she had Moria's Warlord-level combat power at her disposal, she chose to manipulate the intelligence network through political means, ensuring the success of their plan.
Monet and the Sugar Sisters, who had joined the loan shark organization, were also performing well—especially Monet, who served as Feld's secretary. To them, Beach was merely a child clinging to her older sister.
As for Ah Jin, his strength had grown rapidly, making him a valuable asset in the assassin organization. His fearlessness and the abilities taught by Arias earned him the favor of Piecro, who even considered adopting him as a son. After consulting with Yongye, they agreed, and Ah Jin was now regarded as the young master within the organization.
Arias was preparing for the next steps in their plan, crafting protective clothing disguised as a windbreaker, complete with embroidered red clouds on a black background. Hancock noted the design, but its significance remained unclear to her.
He handed the clothing over, instructing Sonia and the others to take them to the intelligence station in Sabaody. Yongye would pick them up at the appropriate time.
While Arias quietly refined weapons on Nine Snakes Island, the seas were anything but peaceful. Marine forces, in their quest to recover Garp's shadow, had mobilized to hunt down Moria, but he had vanished without a trace, along with his subordinates Absalom and Perona.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Army, weakened by Arias' machinations, saw Dragon's bounty increase as governments worldwide intensified their efforts to locate and dismantle the organization. This forced Dragon to keep his followers hidden and his identity concealed.
He and Crow were severely injured, and though Ivankov had been destined for Impel Down, the prison was destroyed by the Whitebeard Pirates, and he was instead imprisoned in the Holy Land. To further demoralize the Revolutionary Army, the World Government planned to publicly execute Ivankov in the autumn of the following year—a plot originally intended for Ace and the Whitebeard Pirates.
Dragon's frustration grew when Big Bear and Ginny, after being denied medical assistance, left the Revolutionary Army and seemed to have joined the underground world. Ginny's unknown benefactor had healed her, and now, with the Revolutionary Army suffering heavy losses, their departure only worsened its situation.
In the New World, the Whitebeard Pirates, having liberated countless dangerous criminals from Impel Down, caused chaos across the seas. In response to the escalating crisis, the elderly Marshal Kong was promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Army, with the new Marine Admiral Sengoku taking over under his nomination.
Sengoku also promoted Akainu Sakazuki, Kizaru Borsalino, and Aokiji Kuzan to the rank of Marine Admirals, while elevating many rear admirals with sufficient military merit to the rank of vice admiral.
Following his promotion, Sengoku ordered the three Admirals to launch a joint assault on the Whitebeard Pirates. The battle was intense, with both sides suffering heavy losses. Akainu, who had led the charge and clashed directly with Whitebeard, was the most severely injured. Though Whitebeard's power had not yet waned, Marine's high-end combat forces were nearly exhausted, preventing a decisive victory.
As the conflict drew attention, other notorious pirates, including Kaido of the Beasts, Golden Lion Shiki, Douglas Bullet, and former Rocks crew member Ochoku, all began preparing to strike.
Fearing a loss of control, Sengoku ordered a retreat. However, the failure of this operation further diminished Marine's prestige, leading to a surge in pirate activity worldwide. Even Marine branches were occasionally attacked.
In the Marshal's Office at Naval Headquarters, a frustrated Sengoku, with a bandage on his forehead, slammed his fist on the desk. "This can't continue! The situation is spiraling out of control!"
All three Admirals were present, though Akainu bore the worst of the injuries. Despite this, he remained resolute. "Marshal, the times have changed. We can't stick to the old ways."
Sengoku looked at him. "What do you propose?"
Akainu responded firmly, "I suggest we initiate global conscription and promote talent without the usual constraints. These criminals have become too bold. We need a major operation and a decisive victory to show the world that Marine's justice still stands!"
Sengoku pondered the idea. Global conscription was no small matter, and if mishandled, the World Government would never approve it. But with the situation teetering on the edge of chaos, drastic measures were needed to restore order.
"Alright! I'll request approval for global conscription!" Sengoku declared, slamming the table again. "Recover quickly. Once the conscription is complete, we'll focus on taking down the Whitebeard Pirates first!"
Only by crushing a major pirate faction could Marine regain its lost prestige. And in this world, few pirates were as deserving of destruction as Whitebeard, the man often hailed as the strongest in the world. He had once sailed with the Rocks Pirates and even clashed with the Pirate King, Roger. Defeating him would restore Marine's deterrence and reestablish order.